Page 17 of Hunters and Hydrangeas

“She wore red lipstick!” Hunter exclaims. “And had a strange accent.”

Cassian whips his attention back to the man. “Was her name Larissa?”

“I don’t remember,” Hunter says, and I think he means it. “I’m sorry.”

Cassian turns to me, eyes narrowed. “Larissa didn’t mention she was dating Alfred.”

“Who’s Alfred again?” I ask, keeping an eye on Hunter, wondering if he’s going to run.

“He owns the hotel where we met Sophia.”

“Oh, right. He’s the son of that well-to-do vampire family that was changed in the 1800s. His father is your friend, right?”

Cassian nods, frowning. Then he looks back at Hunter. “You’re not registered in the system.”

He gulps. “I didn’t want to get my girlfriend in trouble.”

“Are you still dating her?”

“We broke up a few months ago.”

“Why?”

“She didn’t want to be linked to the mess with my brother.”

“Tough break,” Cassian says.

Hunter shrugs, uncomfortable.

“Where have you been getting your meds?”

The man presses his lips together, nervous as heck. “I’m, uh, not on any. Don’t need them.”

Cassian narrows his eyes. “You don’t need them?”

I’ve never been around a final-stage vampire who’s gone off his drugs, but from what I’ve heard, they aren’t this stable.

Cassian takes a step forward. “Who have you been eating, Hunter?”

“Just…uh.” He clears his throat. “You know how it is. Some women don’t mind.”

Cassian catches him by the neck. He moves so quickly, I let out a startled scream. Too calmly, with his eyes boring into the man’s, my conservator asks, “How many vampires have you made?”

Hunter raises his hands in surrender. “I haven’t made any, I swear. None.”

“If you’re not biting them, how are you getting blood?”

Hunter’s face is turning red. He begins to choke, looking like he’s not going to make it much longer.

“Um, Cassian,” I say carefully. “I think you’re gonna kill him if you don’t let up a bit. And it’s hard to answer questions when you’re dead.”

“He feels like he’s dying,” Cassian says, his tone turning conversational as he speaks to me. “It’s not a fun sensation to have your windpipe crushed. But it won’t kill him. He’ll just lie on the ground unconscious for a few minutes while it repairs itself.”

Oh. Well.

“I…bite…” Hunter chokes. “But…sterile.”

Immediately, Cassian drops him. Hunter falls against the car, clutching his throat and gulping in lungfuls of air.

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